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What’s up with the Skimboarding Craze at Kitsilano Beach?

Written by Kitsilano.ca staff, July 08th, 2013 |Comments Off

Photo credit: Lisa Hill

Kitsilano can seem like a small surf town especially when that yellow VW bus with surfboards is parked at Kits Beach. But in reality, we don’t get surf. Vancouver surfers head to Vancouver Island, Haida Gwaii or the Oregon coast to ride the waves.

This explains Kitsilano’s addiction to stand-up paddle boarding and, more recently, skimboarding. What the heck is skimboarding? Exactly what it sounds like. Folks who are attracted to skateboarding take to skimboarding, gliding and spinning at Kitsilano Beach and (more often) on the Spanish Banks mudflats at low tide. Essentially, we’re talking about high speed hydroplaning in low-tide pools. Learn more about different skimboarding styles here.

Now that school is out, you’ll spot even more skimboards out there as kids train at local skimboard camps. If you’re keen to get in on the slick action, you can source equipment from PD’s Hot Shop at West 10th and Alma. West Point Grey Academy offers skimboarding lessons.